In a production process of semiconductor devices, etc., an electronic component testing apparatus is necessary for testing performance and functions of IC devices and other electronic components. As an example of an electronic component testing apparatus as such, an electronic component testing apparatus comprising an electronic component handling apparatus, an electronic component contact apparatus and a testing main apparatus is known.
As an example of the electronic component handling apparatus, there is known an IC device handling apparatus called a handler for applying a variety of temperature stress, such as a low temperature and high temperature, to an IC device to be tested, mounting the device on a socket, then classifying and holding the IC device to be tested in accordance with the test result. As an example of the electronic component contact apparatus, an IC device contact apparatus for bringing an IC device to be tested to (electrically) contact a main testing apparatus via a socket and a test head is known.
A test of an IC device using the handler is conducted, for example, as below. The IC device to be tested is, after being conveyed to above a test head provided with an IC socket, pressed by a pusher so as to be loaded on the IC socket. As a result, connection terminals of the IC socket contact external terminals of the IC device to be tested, and the IC device to be tested is electrically connected to the main testing apparatus through the IC socket and the test head. Then, a test signal supplied from the main testing apparatus to the test head through a cable is applied to the IC device to be tested and a response signal read from the IC device to be tested is sent to the main testing apparatus through the test head, so that electrical characteristics of the IC device to be tested is measured.
In the test of IC devices to be tested by using a handler, IC devices to be tested are held on a tray to be conveyed to inside the handler and, after the test is completed, the IC devices are reloaded to categorically separated trays in accordance with the respective test results. When a type of a tray to hold the IC devices before and after the test (hereinafter, also referred to as a “customer tray”) and that of the tray to circularly convey inside the handler (hereinafter, also referred to as a “test tray”) are different, the IC devices are reloaded between the customer tray and the test tray before and after the test.
A plurality of electronic component holders called inserts are provided on the test tray and the IC devices to be tested are held in the inserts provided on the test tray, conveyed to the test head and pressed against the test head while held in the inserts. By using the test tray with the plurality of inserts, a large number of IC devices can be measured at a time.
There are a variety of configurations of the inserts corresponding to package types, etc. of the IC devices to be tested. For example, as shown in FIG. 19, a device guide portion 171a for guiding the IC device to be tested 2 to a guide core 18 is formed on an insert body 17 of the insert 16 for holding an area array type electronic component, such as a BGA type IC device, and the IC device 2 is guided by the device guide portion 171a to be held in the guide core 18. At the lower end of the guide core 18 is formed an opening 182 so that external terminals 22 of the IC device 2 can be exposed to the direction of connection terminals of a socket. An external terminal face of the IC device 2 (a face arranged with the external terminals 22 among outer surfaces of a package body of the IC device 2) is supported by a rim of the opening 182.
Also, the insert 16 is provided with a latch mechanism (for example, disclosed in the Japanese Unexamined Publication No. 2001-33518) for preventing the IC device 2 held in the guide core 18 from jumping out or deviating from the position. The latch mechanism is provided with a latch 175, wherein a latch portion 175b is formed at one end, arms 175d and 175e are connected thereto, and the arm 175d has a power point 175a. The arm 175d is formed a through hole 175f as a rotation center, and the latch 175 is supported rotatable about the insert body 17 as a result that a pin is inserted to the through hole 175f. In the latch mechanism, when an outer force is applied from the power point 175a as a lever plate 19 approaches to the insert body 17, the latch portion 175b moves to a position (closed position) of preventing the IC device 2 from jumping out or deviating by covering an upper face of the device 2 held in the guide core 18 as shown in FIG. 19(a). When the application of the outer force to the power point 175a is released as the lever plate 19 recedes from the insert body 17, the latch portion 175b leaves from the upper face of the device 2 held in the guide core 18 to move to a position (open position) of enabling the IC device 2 to be carried out and in.